New Van Halen Track By Track #3

Van Halen’s A Different Kind of Truth comes out Feb 7, but we’ve got our hands on it already. We’ll give you a track by track review of it as we listen.

Track 5 – “Blood and Fire” A very pop-leaning opening guitar line. Kinda has a “Panama” vibe…apparently this melody was a leftover from that album, with maybe some “Little Guitars” thrown in for good measure. Roth says “I told you I was coming back” before Eddie launches into another guitar freak-out. Every solo so far is go-for-broke good. He knows he’s got something to prove and, so far, he’s proving it.

Track 6 – “Bullethead” Another fast one – not as tuneful as “Chinatown.” Roth doesn’t have that high-register scream, which would’ve worked here. Maybe showing their age a little here. Clocking in at a mere 2:25, it’s short.